Gravity latch for hooks of harrows



D66. 15, 1931. O ARKEMA I GRAVITY LATCH FOR HOOKS OF HARROWS Filed June 20, 1931 A Home y Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES ONEY Alumna, or LYNNVILLE, Iowa GRAVITY LATCH FOR HOOKS OF HARROWS Application filed June 20,

This invention relates to a gravity latch for the hooks of harrows, the general object of theinvention being to provide a latch which is pivotally connected to the beak of a hook and is normally held by gravity in a positlon closing the open end of the hook so that it is impossible for the eye member which engages the hook from being detached therefrom unless the latch is manually raised to permit the removal of the eye member.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illus-' trated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved latch thereon.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view showing a latch in raised position.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the latch.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the hook which is provided with a forked end 2 which is riveted or otherwise attached to a supporting part 3 which may be a part of a harrow. The lock is shown at A and is of channel shape as clearly shown in Figure 4. A pivot 4 passes through the upper end of the limbs of the latch and through the beak of the hook and the lower end of the limb extends downwardly beyond the bight and these ends are rounded as shown at 5 in Figure 4. The hook is formed with an enlarged part opposite the beak which forms a seat 6 for the lower edge of the bight of the latch as shown in Figure 1. With the parts in this position the extended ends of the limbs of the device overlap portions of the hook as also shown in Figure 1. The free edges of the limbs are substantially V-shaped as shown at 7 so that when the latch is in the hook with 1931. Serial No. 545,787.

closing position as shown in Figure 1, the lower edges will form a substantially straight abutment to hold an eye member or the like which engages the hook in the hook and any tendency for the hook and eye member to become disengaged will cause the eye memher to engage the substantially straight lower edges of the said abutment or edges of the limb and thus force the lower end of the bight more firmly against the seat 6 so that it is impossible for the parts to become disconnected. As will be seen the weight of the latch holds in this closed position and when it is necessary to detach the eye member from the hook the latch is raised to the V position shown in Figure 3 where its limbs pass over the sides of the beak portion of the hook with its bight engaging the under edge of the beak portion so that the ring member can be passed over the beak and the latch; to engage the ring member with the hook or disengaged therefrom. As soon as the latch is released by the fingers of the operator it will again fall into closing position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple latch for a hook which assumes a closed position under the action of gravity there is no danger of corn stalks or other sections moving the latch to open po- I sition.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combina tion and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what N I claim as new is:

In combination with a hook having its beak portion uppermost and the hook having seat portions on its main part and is located under the beak sloping upwardly to beyond the opening of the book, a channel shaped latch member having the upper end of its limbs pivotally connected to the beak and the lower ends of its limbs overlapping the upper part of the main portion of the hook when the latch member is in closed position 1110 with the bight part of the latch member terminating a distance short of the ends of the limbs whereby said bight engages the seat and the latch member in a closing position 5 under the action of gravity, the rims of the latch being spaced apart to overlap the beak part of the hook, when the latch is in raised position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. ONEY ARKEMA' 

